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Frank McCourt, Irish-american author of best-seller Angela's Ashes, has died in a New York hospice, his brother says.

A joint venture between BBC Worldwide and C4 could be close. But will it provide C4 with enough funding for its new remit?It is certainly not the first time a deal has been said to be close. But the timing of last week's announcement that a joint venture between Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide is imminent could prove particularly important as the broadcaster today begins to sketch out a new vision for its future.While much of the discussion after Digital Britain has focused on top-slicing and the BBC, the report also included proposals to make C4 a multimedia public service network, and to give it a duty to invest in British film and original production for children aged 10 and up. Today C4's board will respond to those demands that its remit be changed - the first big rewrite of the broadcaster's remit since it started broadcasting in 1982, and one that will require deft legislative amendment. The optimistic view of C4's bosses, shared by others, including the independent trade body, Pact

ShortList's glamorous new sister title will try to match its glossy rivals for style. But can it succeed?They said it would never work. But since its launch in 2005, Grazia has blazed a trail through magazine publishing, leaving a Louboutin-shaped footprint on the reading habits of British women and the foreheads of its competitors. So it is no surprise that recreating its success has become the holy grail of publishing - and October will see another title launch. However, the newest pretender to Grazia's crown will have an eyebrow-raising cover price: it will be free.Aimed at professional, affluent 20- to 40-year-old women, Stylist, which is being pitched as a direct competitor to Grazia, Marie Claire and Vogue, will be a female stablemate for free men's weekly ShortList. Handed out once a week in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool - with one other city yet to be announced - its initial distribution will be about 400,000.The glossies do not seem unduly worried. 'I w

Playwrights Horizons will present private readings of MRS. SHARP, a new musical with Book by Kirsten Guenther and Music & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson Grant recipient Ryan Scott Oliver. Directed by three-time Tony Award nominee and Playwrights Horizons alumnus Michael Greif (Grey Gardens, Next to Normal, Rent), the invitation-only readings will take place on Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31 at Playwrights Horizons (416 West 42nd Street).

Diane Paulus is directing an opera, Ana Gasteyer joins the cast of "Royal Family" and Adam Guettel gets a new commission for a musical.

'While the newest generation of female playwrights is not following a well-beaten path, at least it's not a journey without maps. Women have led the way for some time in fusing the political with the personal, falling neither into the 'art for art's sake' fallacy nor the 'agitprop' fallacy, so succinctly outlined by Ferdinand Mount in the Guardian a few weeks ago.'...

TV News: Former MTV topper takes the reins -- Former MTV Networks chief operating officer Mark Rosenthal has joined Current Media as CEO

Production on the new CW drama "The Beautiful Life" starring Mischa Barton has been postponed -- read on for more details. Production for the new show has been pushed back from July 22 to July 31, the Hollywood Reporter says. Barton was hospitalized on Wednesday, but sources close to the show tell the Hollywood Reporter that the production schedule was changed due to some of the sets not being completed, and not due to the actress' hospitalization.

Exclusives: Gruber, Waud, Shepherd launch new venture -- Writer-director J. Mackey Gruber ('The Butterfly Effect'), former New Line exec George Waud and entrepreneur D. Todd Shepherd have formed production banner Miscellaneous Entertainment to produce pics in the $10 million-$20 million budget range.

Legit News: Duo will topline new tuner at Playwrights Horizons -- Jane Krakowski and Christian Borle will topline a reading of new tuner 'Mrs. Sharp' at Playwrights Horizons later this month.